Joining the digital dots: A study of the technology challenges within state schools today Joining the digital dots: A study of the technology challenges within state schools today

Market research published report:
Joining the digital dots: A study of the technology challenges within state schools today

VoicED & Firefly

Top quality education today means greater innovation in the future, and changes to procurement systems have placed even more responsibility in the hands of individual schools in terms of managing systems and investing in education technology.

Recent assessments as to the views of teachers in the UK in relation to technology in secondary education, and online learning platforms specifically, are few and far between. Those that do exist are largely based on assessments of the implementation of ed-tech within single case-study schools, and many review the experience of students, rather than those of the teachers and other education professionals.

One notable exception comes in the form of a 2014 report produced by Virgin Business Media, which suggested a ‘growing digital divide between the technology that is available in the classroom and teachers’ ability to effectively use it.’ This in itself suggests an important topic for this research – is the technology being produced and delivered usable by those who interact with it regularly?

This white paper seeks to add to the wider evidence base providing an in-depth review of the perception of ed-tech from classroom teachers, budget holders, ICT co-ordinators and technicians from across secondary schools in the UK.

The following findings are based on a survey of 407 education professionals in schools across the UK via the VoicED panel. Fieldwork took place between May and July 2015. The main survey was conducted online, and a booster of those with specialist responsibility for ICT was also conducted via telephone.